COLUMBUS, OHIO(TIP): Charges were dropped Thursday, July 12, against porn actress Stormy Daniels, just hours after she was arrested while performing at an Ohio strip club and charged with letting patrons touch her in violation of a state law, an Associated Press report says.
Her attorney said she was set up in a Columbus police sting operation, something police deny.
Charging documents say Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, was arrested for touching a patron at a “sexually oriented” business in violation of the law commonly known as the Community Defense Act.
The documents said that Daniels, who was semi-nude, allegedly touched some of the patrons’ breasts and allowed them to touch her. She allegedly performed the same act with several officers who approached the stage and forced one officer’s head into her bare chest.
She was released on bail before 6 a.m. Thursday. Daniels posted $6,000.
Daniels’ attorney, Michael Avenatti, told The Associated Press that some patrons touched Daniels in a non-sexual” way during her performance. He told MSNBC later Thursday that police had prepared a sting operation with multiple officers. He said female undercover officers asked Daniels if they could place their face between her breasts.
“It was an absurd use of law enforcement resources,” Avenatti said.
The three counts against Daniels were first-degree misdemeanors, with a maximum penalty for one count would be six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Thursday afternoon, city prosecutors dropped the charges, saying the Ohio illegal touching law can’t be enforced because Daniels has only appeared once at the Columbus club.
The law refers to someone “who regularly appears nude or seminude” at a club. Avenatti successfully argued Daniels “has not appeared consistently and repeatedly at Sirens,” according to prosecutors.
Police said two other women were arrested along with Daniels. Prosecutors are also checking whether those women will be prosecuted, said City Attorney Zach Klein.
The police department “engages in these operations routinely,” said spokesman Sgt. Dean Worthington.
Avenatti posted on Twitter a statement by Daniels that said she apologized to her fans in Columbus, but she would not perform her previously scheduled Thursday night show.
THIRUVANANTHPURAM(TIP): Congress leader Shashi Tharoor sparked off a controversy with his statement that if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is voted to power again, it will rewrite the Constitution that will eventually create a “Hindu Pakistan.”
The BJP demanded an apology from Mr. Tharoor and called his statement “an attack on Indian democracy and Hindus”, while the Congress distanced itself and advised its leaders on “responsible phraseology.”
At an event in Thiruvanthapuram on Wednesday, July 11, Mr. Tharoor said: “If they have been able to win a repeat of their current strength in the Lok Sabha, then frankly, our own democratic Constitution, as we understand, will not survive… because then they will have all the three elements they need to tear up the Constitution of India and write a new one.
“And that will enshrine the principle of Hindu Rashtra, that will remove equality for the minorities, and that will create a Hindu Pakistan…and that is not what Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru, Sardar Patel, Maulana Azad and great heroes of freedom struggle fought for.”
I will say it again: Tharoor
He said: “I have said this before and I will say it again. Pakistan was created as a state with a dominant religion, that discriminates against its minorities and denies them equal rights. India never accepted the logic that had partitioned the country.
“But the BJP/RSS idea of a ‘Hindu Rashtra’ is the mirror image of Pakistan a state with a dominant majority religion that seeks to put its minorities in a subordinate place. That would be a Hindu Pakistan, and it is not what our freedom movement fought for, nor the idea of India enshrined in our Constitution.”
Mr. Tharoor said many proud Hindus like him cherished the inclusive nature of the faith and had no desire to live, as their Pakistani neighbors were forced to, in an intolerant theocratic state.
“We want to preserve India and not turn our beloved country into a Hindu version of Pakistan,” he wrote.
Mr. Tharoor got some support from former Vice-President Hamid Ansari.
“I have not read what he [Tharoor] has said. But he is an educated man, a writer, an MP…and heads Parliament’s committee on external affairs. Whatever he says, he will say after thorough consideration,” Mr. Ansari told a TV news channel.
The BJP used strong language to hit back at him.
“Shashi Tharoor is the same person who called Indians ‘cattle-class’. He is ‘cattle-class-ing’ the Indian democracy. You call yourself an educated and erudite spokesperson of the Congress. If you want to love Pakistan, do so, but do not display such hatred towards Indians,” BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told reporters at a briefing.
Congress communication chief Randeep Surjewala, however, articulated the party’s position in a series of tweets. “India’s values & fundamentals are an unequivocal guarantee of our civilizational role & set us apart from the divisive idea of Pakistan. All Congress leaders must realize this historic responsibility bestowed upon us while choosing words & phraseology to reject BJP’s hatred,” he said.
“Modi Govt thrives upon an unprecedented atmosphere of division, bigotry, hatred, intolerance & polarization for last 4 years. Congress, on the other hand, represents India’s civilizational values of pluralism, diversity, compassion & harmony between faiths & ethnicities,” added Mr. Surjewala.
Tells European allies to increase spending or lose US support
BRUSSELS(TIP): Donald Trump claimed a personal victory at a NATO summit on Thursday, July 12 after telling European allies to increase spending or lose Washington’s support, an ultimatum that forced leaders to huddle in a crisis session with the US President. Trump emerged declaring his continued commitment to a Western alliance built on US military might that has stood up to Moscow since World War Two.
People present said he had earlier warned he would “go it alone” if allies, notably Germany, did not make vast increases in their defense budgets for next year.
“I let them know that I was extremely unhappy,” he said, but added that the talks ended on the best of terms: “It all came together at the end. It was a little tough for a little while.”
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who called the summit “very intense”, and other leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron, played down the extent to which they had pledged to accelerate spending plans as fast as Trump wanted.
Macron and others said they did not interpret Trump’s words as a direct threat to quit the alliance Washington founded in 1949 to contain Soviet expansion. Trump, asked if he thought he could withdraw from NATO without backing from Congress, said he believed he could but it was “unnecessary”. Others say Congressional approval would be required—and would be unlikely to be forthcoming.
Trump hailed a personal victory for his own strategy in complaining loudly that NATO budgets were unfair to US taxpayers, and the emergence of what he said was a warm consensus around him.
Several diplomats, however, said his undiplomatic intervention, including pointing at other leaders and addressing Merkel as “you, Angela”, had irritated many.
Spending targets
NATO members have committed to spending at least 2% of their national income on defense by 2024, though the terms allow for stretching that in some cases to 2030
The United States, far the biggest economy, spent 3.6% last year, while Germany, the second biggest, paid out just 1.2% and only a handful of countries met the 2% target.
Trump said he wanted them all to hit that target by January, prompting consternation. Many have already settled their 2019 budgets and the sums involved are immense.
Aries:Ganesha says from the first period of concentrating on money and acquisitions, you turn your attention to family and intimate bonding. You are also deeply attached to your family, and your parents and siblings mean the world to you. You know that the family can be well looked after if you earn well and so – family and finance – gohand in hand. You make extra efforts to secure the financial aspects for your extended family and look for new avenues of investment and expansion. You will tap the markets and indulge in speculation with some success, too. (I must add here that a lot depends on the individual horoscopes and these are mere generalizations; and also remind you of the fact that the stars impel and don’t compel.
Taurus: –Your life acquires a new intensity and tempo. You are on the fast track to success and even the fastest escalator is too slow. There may be a few delays and impediments, but you manage to get over all that with some breathtaking risk-taking ability. This is a period of unmitigated passion with your loved one. You find joy in intimacy and you move from physical pleasure to super consciousness and that, I must add, is quite a remarkable journey.
Gemini: –After all the initial expansion and money making, you enter a world of new ideas and inspirations. You also entertain and have fun at social gatherings. It is not that you are not working, but meetings also help you network and make the right connections. You are less driven now and enjoy lighter moments with friends and family. You have to guard against depression, though, as there will minor irritants and they will plunge you into deep thinking mode.
Cancer: –This is a period of consolidation. You will be making contacts with all sorts of people, you will be in a frenzy of communication, reaching out to everyone. You make valuable contacts and your business/work grows. You make money, with the right decisions at the right time and are prudent enough to invest the extra in gilt edged securities and also in purchases that make good money sense. There is travel, an upswing in your prestige.
Leo: –You get encouraged by the good times and pitch in for more expansion. You think big and take risks like a gambler at Las Vegas. You are also in the throes of a new relationship and it is going well. Remember that there is the force of gravity and the higher you go, the harder you can fall. So, it’s good to spread out and be on a high but don’t over-extend yourself either physically and financially. If fortunes change (and you never know what happens when) you will fall flat on your face. You also get a tad arrogant and feel that you are the beginning and end of all life forms.
Virgo: –You are moving in many directions and the force is with you. You are doing too much too soon. You are also travelling and meeting people. Sometimes, you get too frank, blunt and outspoken and this will not help your cause one bit. You will also spend recklessly and indulge in all forms of speculation and gambling. There is new romance, attachments, love affairs and you revel in it. If in love, you could take it to the next level. All in all, an expansive period in which many things happen to you.
Libra: –You slow down a bit and think issues over. You have to deal with mounting expenses and are mired in your own doings of the last period. You look for more meaning in whatever you do and take recourse in spiritual books perhaps, even gods and godmen. But there is more than intellectual movement; you move physically too, on business and for pleasure. You look at inner growth and greater knowledge which you realize will help you achieve.
Scorpio: –You are communicating frenetically this period. Local and domestic affairs will occupy your attention and set off a great deal of action, though it may not always be to your liking or inclination. There will be intrusions from others which you should guard against. You have been moving fast and in different directions. Prioritize your life and don’t scatter your energies like you have been doing for some time now. The home environment needs attention.
Sagittarius: –You streamline all your activities. You look to others for help in this and it is a welcome move as the world wants to help someone who is keen on doing so. No one likes losers, and you like to be a winner in the game of life and not a whiner. You have many accomplices now who will also, later, want a share in the pie. You are never winners. You make changes in the basics and let go of old dependency needs or crutches which may have helped you stay afloat in the past. You have a lot of self-belief now and your relationships are revitalized. There are promises of long-term stability.
Capricorn: –Once again, you seek out avenues for more money as it means recognition, power and security in your lexicon. I do not say that it is not true, but an overemphasis on money may well be your undoing in the long run. You work hard and are motivated to move heaven and earth to achieve your goals. There will be a lot of stress and you need to take care. Family, loved ones, children, parents, in-laws and all the others in your extended family demand your time and you will be walking the tightrope. A tense period.
Aquarius: –There is outstanding success in store for you. You are determined and all fired up and move in the right direction with panache. You weed out all that you don’t need which includes friends who don’t mean well and other pretenders. Your attitude is right and you have an infectious optimism which will ensure that you get your point across without ruffling feathers. Family bonding will also be pleasing, fulfilling and there are promises of success and joy in all areas of your life. You make steady progress and squash all rivalry before it turns ugly and disastrous.
Pisces: –While the work areas is moving along smoothly, you also make some personal conquests. You are more creative and attract many like-minded people who will collaborate with you both at work and at play. You pave the path to success with concrete results. Your work skills are sharpened, and your personal equation enhanced. You have laid the foundation and it is time to work on them and reap the dividends. With the right attitude and the hard work that you put in, there is no room for failure.
Since 2004,Games for Change(G4C) has been empowering game creators and innovators to drive real-world change, using games that help people to learn, improve their communities, and contribute to make the world a better place. G4C partners with technology and gaming companies as well as nonprofits, foundations and government agencies, to run world class events, public arcades, design challenges and youth programs. G4C supports a global community of game developers working to use games to tackle real-world challenges, from humanitarian conflicts to climate change and education.
About Parsons School of Design
Parsons School of Design is one of the world’s leading institutions for art and design education. Based in New York but active around the world, the school offers undergraduate and graduate programs in the full spectrum of art and design disciplines. Critical thinking and collaboration are at the heart of a Parsons education. Parsons graduates are leaders in their fields, with a shared commitment to creatively and critically addressing the complexities of life in the 21st century.www.newschool.edu/parsons/
“For 15 years, Games for Changehas encouraged the top minds in tech to develop digital games that can bring about positive social change”– Mayor de Blasio
“Life is Strange: Before the Storm” Wins Big at Games for Change Awards Ceremony with Two Honors, Including Game of the Year;
The Games for Change (G4C) Festival for the 15thyear had its three day-long programming, June 28-30, 2018, at the Parsons School of Design, at the New School University, New York, with a special proclamation from New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, declaring June 28 as “Games for Change Day.” It was enthusiastically attended each day by at least 300 guests.
By exploring the challenges faced by refugees, LGBTQ youth, children with autism, people suffering from mental illness, and much more, the games and presentations featured at the Games for Change festival over the last fifteen years have promoted equality, understanding, and inclusivity by giving players the opportunity to experience reality from a different point of view.
“For 15 years, Games for Changehas encouraged the top minds in tech to develop digital games that can bring about positive social change,” said Mayor de Blasio in the Proclamation. “I am proud to join with all those gathered here to applaud G4C, all of this year’s award winners, and everyone participating in the festival for their commitment to forging a better tomorrow for us all.”
Day 1 of the Festival also featured the Games for ChangeAwards ceremony, which honored games in the following categories: Best Gameplay, Most Innovative, Most Significant Impact and Best Learning Game, and Game of the Year. The winners announced were:
BEST GAMEPLAY (Honoring the games with highly compelling and engaging gameplay whose game mechanics align with and reinforce impact goals.)
What Remains of Edith Finch is a collection of strange tales about a family in Washington State. As Edith, you’ll explore the colossal Finch house, searching for stories as she explores her family history and tries to figure out why she’s the last one in her family left alive.
MOST INNOVATIVE (Honoring the games that demonstrate creativity and aspire to bring new ideas through unique game design, technology and/or audiences. These games embrace experimentation to break conventions of form or concept in a manner that may pave new ways for the sector.)
Tree transforms you into a majestic rainforest tree. With your arms as branches and body as a trunk, you’ll experience the tree’s life from a seedling to its fullest form and witness its fate firsthand.
MOST SIGNIFICANT IMPACT (Honoring the games that target a specific social issue with proven actions/outcomes like awareness, civic learning, community building, or behavior change.)
BEST LEARNING GAME [Honoring the games that offer meaningful engagement around intended learning objectives with measurable outcomes. Examples of types of learning include cognitive skills (academic subjects, memory), social/emotional skills (empathy, bullying), physical health (movement, nutrition), and creative well-being.]
Attentat 1942 is a unique game that tells the story of Nazi occupation from the perspective of those who experienced it firsthand. The game is built on dialogues with survivors, interactive comics, and authentic historical footage. Speak to eyewitnesses, live their memories, and discover the untold story of your family.
GAME OF THE YEAR (Honoring the exemplary game that achieves all three dimensions: impact, innovation and gameplay)
Life is Strange: Before the Storm features Chloe Price, a 16 year-old rebel who forms an unlikely friendship with Rachel Amber, a popular girl destined for success. When Rachel’s world is turned upside down by a family secret they give each other the strength to overcome their demons.
THE GAMES FOR CHANGE x POLYGON PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD
Set in the Viking age, a broken Celtic warrior embarks on a haunting vision quest into Viking Hell to fight for the soul of her dead lover. Created in collaboration with neuroscientists and people who experience psychosis, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice will pull you deep into Senua’s mind.
Katie Salen (University of California, Irvine; Chief Designer and co-founder of Connected Camps and founding Executive Director of Institute of Play) who gave a keynote presentation that explored a play-based approach to raising socially and emotionally aware gamers, was presented with the Games for Change Vanguard Awardfor her commitment to games with social impact.
G4C 2018 Festival Team (Left to Right): Kai Falkenberg, NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment Susanna Pollack, President of Games for Change Asi Burak, Chairman, Games for Change Suzanne Seggerman, Co-Founder, Games for Change Ben Stokes, Co-Founder, Games for Change Barry Joseph, Co-Founder, Games for Change
This year, Games for Change launched a CharityBuzz campaign, with bidding lots that include: Lunch with Dr. Adam Gazzaleyand a tour of the Neuroscape Lab in San Francisco; Meet with speaker Prof. Aorangi Popovicand Visit the Center for Game Science in Seattle; Meet speaker Dan Ayoub, Tour & Private Demo at the Microsoft Holocene Lab; Meet Maxime Durand, Chief Historian of Assassin’s Creed & Tour the Ubisoft HQ in Montreal; VIP Tour of Ubisoft in San Francisco, Lunch, Guitar Lesson and Hotel & Airfare. The campaign is open until Tuesday, July 10, 2018 at 3:00 PM EST.
Festival attendees were treated to a slate of presentations by industry leaders in the Festival’s three focused tracks: Neurograming & Health, Civics & Social Issues and Games for Learning. The keynote speakers included, Rajesh Anandan(Senior Vice President UNICEF Ventures, UNICEF USA), Adam Bellow(Co-Founder, Breakout EDU), Robert Torres, (Chief Strategy Officer, Teach the World Foundation), Katie Salen, (2018 Games for Change Vanguard Award recipient), Maxime Durand (Franchise Historian for Assassin’s Creed, Ubisoft Montreal), Marc-Andre Ethier(Professor, Universite de Montreal), and Kate Edwards(CEO & Principal Consultant, Geogrify.)
The G4C Festival continued on Friday, June 29 and on Saturday, June 30 with the XR for Change Summit.
(Mabel Pais writes on The Arts and Entertainment, Social Issues, Health and Wellness, and Spirituality)
LONG ISLAND, NY(TIP): The Nartan Rang Dance Academy of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan held its annual production, Nritya Ranjani,at the Adelphi University Performing Arts Center on Long Island on Sunday, June 24th, 2018. Nritya Ranjani 2018: Nritya Yatra, A Cultural Journey, told the story of a mother-daughter duo traveling through the Indian subcontinent in search of knowledge & experience through the rich culture & heritage of India’s numerous festivals. Together, the pair navigated the ups and downs of culture shock and generation gaps, much as they happen with the millennial generation of today.
Junior Students performing on a Bollywood songFusion dance by Siddhi Vaishnav and Ciera Paily
Taking the journey from September to August, the production encompassed the holidays of Ganeshotsav, Navratri, Durga Puja, Diwali, Christmas, Uttarayan, Republic Day, Mahashivaratri, Holi, Baisakhi, Ramadan, the monsoon season, and Janmashtami. Choreographed by Nartan Rang creative director Swati Vaishnav & her daughter Siddhi, Nritya Yatraseamlessly wove together the threads of the immigrant and “ABCD” experiences via kathak, bharatnatyam, folk, Bollywood, and fusion dance, forging a bond with the audience through art and storytelling that all could relate to.
4-6 years old kids performing Happy Diwali
Over the past three decades, the Nartan Rang Dance Academy’s vision has always been to endeavor to promote Indian dance forms to the younger generations and to encourage and inspire both adults and children of all ages and backgrounds to learn and appreciate the divine art and heritage of South Asia. The Academy will proudly continue to strive in the preservation, expansion, and growth of the South Asian diaspora for years to come. Registration for the 2018-19 year begins in mid-August. Please call (516) 395-1209 or E-Mail nartanrangdance@gmail.com
Afghanistan Consul General in New York Abdul Satar Haqbin mourns with community
HICKSVILLE, NY(TIP): The gory incident of the slaying of 19 Sikh and Hindu community leaders in Jalalabad, Afghanistan on July 1 came alive before the eyes of the gathering at Gurdwara Nanak Darbar here on July 5. The Afghani Singh and Hindu community which has a large presence in this part of New York organized an Akhand Paath in the memory of their slain brethren. The Sikhs who immigrated from Afghanistan after having suffered for years set up a Gurdwara by the name Gurdwara Nanak Darbar while the Afghani Hindus set up a temple by the name Asa Mai Hindu Temple. Both shrines are located in the vicinity of each other in Hicksville. The entire community which immigrated from Afghanistan is close knit and share their joys and sorrows.
So it was when the Akhand Paath Sahib in the memory of those killed was organized by the Sikh sangat of Gurdwara Nanak Darbar. Members from Asa Mai Mandir and from other Hindu temples came to pay their tribute to the dear departed ones. Many had known those who were killed. In particular, Rawail Singh and Avtar Singh who were political leaders of the Sikhs and Hindus in Afghanistan, were household names.
Speaking on the occasion, Afghanistan Consul General in New York, Abdul Satar Haqbin said he was both “happy and sad”. Happy that he was with the community in a Sikh temple which he had always wanted to visit. And sad because of the tragic incident in Afghanistan on July 1 in which 19 Hindu and Sikh community leaders were killed. Among the killed were young and old, professionals, businessmen and workers. The gory incident has made government, parliament, and people of Afghanistan sad.
Speaking about the turn of the events in Afghanistan, the Consul General said that Afghanistan was a very peaceful country until 40 years ago. But after Russia invaded Afghanistan, peace deserted the country and all kinds of problems started. But, “we have to regain peace”, said the CG. Sikhs and Hindus have made great sacrifices for Afghanistan. They have laid down their lives for the country. They have bravely served in the military. “I thank the Sikhs and the Hindus” for their sacrifices and contribution to Afghanistan. Haqbin was sad to recall how once upon a time there were 200,000 Sikhs and Hindus living in Afghanistan and now only a handful were left there.
The Sikhs and the Hindus are held in high esteem. No sooner than the reports of the killings came in, the governor and senior officials visited the site of the incident and the gurdwara to express their condolences. They felt concerned for the Hindu and Sikh community and expressed their support to them.
The Consul General paid his tribute to those killed and said he will ensure all possible help to the bereaved families.
The Consul General was honored with a Siropa
The Consul General was honored with a siropa.
The Gurdwara General Secretary Harcharan Singh Gulati who has been in constant touch with the Sikh and Hindu community in Afghanistan, said that the Sikhs have been living in Afghanistan for the last hundreds of years. He spoke feelingly about the Sikh historical gurdwaras in Afghanistan and recalled how Rawail Singh and Avtar Singh stayed back only to look after those gurdwaras. They are “true martyrs”, Gulati said.
A view of the sangatThe grief stricken managing committee members of Gurdwara Guru Nanak Darbar Photos / Courtesy H.S. Ahluwalia
A number of community leaders, Gurdwara and Mandir managers and intellectuals, who included, among others, Dr. Amarjit Singh, Giani Jagtar Singh Jachak, Prof. Indrajit S Saluja, Paramjit Singh Bedi, Mohan Singh, Virenderpal Singh Sikka, spoke on the occasion.
Earlier, a large number of Sikhs and Hindus participated in the Bhog of Shri Akhand Paath Sahib and listened to Gurbani Kirtan.
LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK(TIP): Ramesh Chennithala, the opposition party leader in Kerala urged the NRIs in America to take an active part in defense of democracy and freedom in India. He was expressing his opinion in a dinner meeting hosted by Mohinder Singh Gilzian, President of INOC, USA.
“It is the Congress party that paid the high price for freedom with the blood and sweat of the people who believed in those values and that very freedom should not be taken for granted” Chennithala added.
Chennithala is on an official visit to the United States to attend the FOKANA convention to be held in Philadelphia. The INOC leaders who were present at the meeting requested Chennithala to urge the Kerala community in the U.S. to come together in unity and support the organization.
George Abraham, Vice-Chairman of IOC, Harbachan Singh, Secretary-General of INOC, USA, Malini Shah, Vice-President, Jasvir Singh Nawanshahar, President, Punjab Chapter, Thomas T. Oommen, Chairman, Kerala Chapter, Jose Jacob, Treasurer, Kerala Chapter, Varghese Thekkekara, VP of Kerala chapter, Koshy Oommen, Executive Member also participated in discussions.
V.P. Sajeendran MLA (Kunnathunadu), Indrajit Saluja, Publisher of Indian Panorama and Dr. George Mathew, Chairman of the Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi were also present as special guests.
MINEOLA, NY(TIP): Nassau County organized the annual Vaisakhi celebrations in the Legislative Chamber in Theodore Roosevelt Executive & Legislative Building, June 22. Hon. Richard Nicoletto, Nassau County Presiding Officer delivered the keynote address, in the absence of Executive Laura Curran who could not make it to the event.
Zahid Syed, Jasbir Jay Singh, Pinky Jaggi, Meenu Bhasin, Honoree Herman Singh, Nassau County Presiding Officer Richard Nicolello, Malik Nadeem, Sharanjit Thind & Kawaljeet Chandi
On the occasion, eight community members were honored. They included Lalit Aery, Jaspal Singh Arora, Dr. Inderpal Chhabra, Imran Igra, Shikha Sehgal, Bhavna Sharma, Herman Singh, and Satbir Singh Sondhi.
A cultural program designed by Jaya Bhadkar and Pinky Jaggi pleased the gathering.
Zahid Syed, Jasbir Jay Singh, Pinky Jaggi, Amit Sehgal, Honoree Shikha Sehgal, Nassau County Presiding Officer Richard Nicolello, Malik Nadeem, Sharanjit Thind & Kawaljeet Chandi
Earlier, Zahid Syed, Commissioner, Commission on Human Rights, delivered the welcome address. Zahid also recognized elected officials, while host committee was recognized by Jay Jasbir Singh. Sharanjit Singh Thind recognized media and Beena Kothari community leaders. Kanwaljit Chandi and Ali Mirza made special announcements about the events planned in months ahead.
NEW YORK CITY(TIP): Federation of Indian Associations held a Curtain Raiser for its upcoming largest India Day Parade at the Consulate General of India on Thursday June 28, 2018.
To bring India into this American soil and at the venue, green-white- and orange colors were seen all around with the American and Indian flags side by side.
The event started with Dr. Kusum Punjabi’s welcome speech and the singing of the national anthem. Dr. Kusum Punjabi stated that since FIA was founded 48 years ago on the promise of promoting ethic solidarity though various programs and events along with community services and cultural activities and various outreach programs, everyone at FIA believes to preserve India’s cultures and ethics. She also congratulated all the leaders by adding that no organization can succeed without its strong leaders. As she emphasized on FIA’s prevalent motto from Indian Vedic verse, “wherever women are respected, God resides there” will come true as FIA is committed to bring all cultures on one stage by strongly believing in “vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” meaning “world is one family.” Dr. Kusum then invited FIA president Srujal Parikh on stage for welcome speech by adding that Parikh is not only a visionary president of FIA but is dedicated to NYPD and a trustee of NYPD Indian police officers organization since a decade.
A view of the gathering
President Srujal Parikh said they take great pride in not only working together at FIA to bring diverse cultures on one stage but also women empowerment initiatives are taken to make difference in the lives of girls and women. He then added that here at FIA we strongly believe in gender equality. As a community, we must strive to foster an environment so there is no gender discrimination and women will have equal opportunity of independent decision making. Parikh thanked all the committee members, board of trustees and all who work shoulder to shoulder in making FIA a successful organization.
Srujal Parikh invited Consul General of India, all the committee members, this year’s Grand Marshal, and very bright and beautiful Hollywood-Bollywood actress Ms. Pooja Kumar, representative from Ripley’s believe it or not, on stage to unveil official upcoming India day parade’s invitation.
As consulate General of India took stage to address the audience, he said he felt so close to motherland in American soil by working so closely with FIA and its members. He gave a brief history of making FIA a successful organization of 48 years. He remembered FIA’s early stages when late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was invited to lead parade and merely 300 persons were on New York’s streets. He urged everyone to bring friends and family members to be a part of this epic event and make it more successful this year on August 18th.
Others who addressed included Chairman Ramesh Pate, Media Chair Ankur Vaidya, Padma Shri H.R. Shah, Vidyadhar Garapati, Padma Shri Dr. Sudhir Parikh, Chintu Patel, and Andy Bhatia
Dance performance by Dancing Shiva Photos / Paresh Gandhi
Performers from Dancing Shiva gave a dance performance which was choreographed by Jenny Beri.
A Raffle draw followed, and winners were gifted radio 5000 series.
Dr. Kusum Panjabi extended appreciation on behalf of everyone at FIA and all the guests to Albert Jassani for sponsoring delightful appetizers and dinner.
(Based on a press release issued by Media committee, FIA)
GREAT NECK, NY(TIP): India Association of Long Island (IALI), one of the oldest, largest Indian Non-Profit Organization, representing all regions of India and serving the Indian community, held its Annual Gala to celebrate the 40thAnniversary on Saturday, June 30, 2018.
Five very deserving, hard-working, and outstanding individuals were honored at the 40thAnniversary gala for their achievements and exemplary service to community:
Dev R. Chitkara, MD, FACS
Vishnu Dayal, Ph. D
Neeta Jain, Ph. D
Jagga Rao Alluri, MD
Founders of Human Care Medical Charitable Trust
Dr. Nirmal Kumar, Dr. Ish Kumar & Mr. Sanjay Khurana
The festivities were graced by the presence of Oyster Bay Town Supervisor, Joseph Saladino, who presented citations to all the esteemed Honorees for their outstanding accomplishments, dedication and service to the community. He also praised Indian Community for its increasing presence and contributions to the region.
The program commenced with opening remarks by IALI Secretary Shashi Malik, followed by IALI Cultural Chair Amita Karwal who introduced a dance program, “Jhalkiyan” – a medley of dances from different regions of India starting with Ganesh Vandana, Ghoomar from Rajasthan, Lavani from Maharashtra, Kathak classical dance from North India and Bhangara from Punjab, exquisitely performed by Jyotika Patel, Neelam Modi, Vrinda Shorewala, Manjari Parikh respectively.
IALI officials with Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino who presented a Citation to IALI President Gunjan Rastogi
IALI President Gunjan Rastogi in her speech spoke eloquently and walked the audience through a well thought out presentation that highlighted all the IALI forums and IALI events held so far in 2018. She thanked all the attendees for their support and specifically gave a very big thank you to Advertisers of the Journal. A heartfelt thank you was given to the donations made by the Benefactor Sponsors and Patron Sponsors for 40thyear of IALI Celebration. The president thanked the TV and Print Media for their support to IALI. She reminded all to come and join IALI’s signature event – IndiaFest on Sunday, 23rdSeptember 2018, being held at North Hempstead Park (BAR Beach) Port Washington, NY, a free event for the community, being held at the same location where the first event took place in 1990.
The event was very well attended by IALI Members, Honorees’ families and friends, Community Leaders and representatives of many organizations namely – AIA, AIF, APPI-QLI, Arya Samaj of Long Island, Children’s Hope, Domestic Harmony Foundation, Hindu Center, India Home, Kannada KOOTA, Nargis Dutt Foundation, NIAASC and TLCA. Last but not the least, 14 out of 28 past presidents also attended the affair to celebrate the 40thAnniversay Gala Luncheon.
A captivating dance performance
The program was wonderfully emceed by Mrs. Swati B. Hofmann and following the speeches, the floor was opened for all to join to energetic beats of DJ Azi ramping up the sound. A delicious, sumptuous and extravagant lunch was catered by Tandoor Restaurant. The ballroom was beautifully and elegantly decorated by Glamorous Event Planners and Productions. The program ended with a Vote of Thanks by IALI Secretary Shashi Malik.
More than 600 Businesses Attend Event to do Business with City, 20 Percent Increase from Last Year
NEW YORK CITY(TIP): Under Mayor Bill de Blasio, New York City is investing in minority and women-owned businesses at record levels, including connecting more minority- and women-owned business enterprises (M/WBEs) to public and private contracting opportunities than ever before. On Wednesday, June 27th, the de Blasio Administration hosted the 12th Annual M/WBE Procurement Fair, attended by more than 600 City-certified minority- and women-owned businesses; and nearly 90 City and State agencies, public authorities, and private-sector companies – making this a record-breaking year for both MWBE and agency attendees.
“The Annual M/WBE Procurement Fair helps minority and women entrepreneurs access City resources and build long-lasting networks that will grow these businesses for years to come,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “These events are key to creating a fairer city where every business owner – regardless of race, gender, or ethnicity – has the chance to participate and succeed in our economy.”
The Annual M/WBE Procurement Fair helps put in practice the results of the Mayor’s commitment to using the City’s purchasing power to support M/WBEs. In May, the City announced it is two years ahead of schedule to meet his OneNYC goal, which aims to award $16 billion to M/WBEs by the end of Fiscal Year (FY) 2025. The City has awarded approximately $7.8 billion to M/WBEs since the goal was established in 2015 – $1.8 billion more than initial projections. As a result, the Mayor will increase his OneNYC goal to award $20 billion to M/WBEs by the end of FY 2025.
In May, the City increased the loan cap on the City’s Contract Financing Loan Fund, a program that allows M/WBEs and small businesses to access affordable loans. Currently, M/WBEs and small businesses have access to loans totaling $500,000. Beginning this summer, they will be able to access loans totaling up to $1 million per year at a low three-percent interest rate.
“Communities of color and women are the future economic engine of New York City. That’s why Mayor de Blasio is investing in them more than the city ever has before. Since 2015, the City has awarded approximately $7.8 billion to minority and women-owned business, nearly $2 billion dollars more than initial projections. Now, we’re doubling down, awarding $20 billion to minority and women businesses by 2025 and making it easier to access loans for expansion,” said Deputy Mayor Phil Thompson. “When we invest in communities of color, our city prospers.”
“The procurement fair, with its unprecedented turnout, represents the City’s focus on improving access to real opportunities for its M/WBE’s. From the opening discussion with lenders on how M/WBEs and small businesses can access low-interest loans funds totaling $70 million, to the many workshops designed for M/WBEs to engage with agencies, the event was the most successful yet”, said Jonnel Doris, Senior Advisor and Director of the Mayor’s Office of M/WBEs.
“The City’s annual Procurement Fair directly connects City agency procurement needs with the diversity of local businesses, forging strong connections and opportunities to grow these businesses and put them in a stronger position” said Gregg Bishop, Commissioner of the Department of Small Business Services.
The Procurement Fair offered networking opportunities with purchasing staff as well as access to an Opportunity Room where participants learned about available or upcoming contracting opportunities. The Procurement Fair also featured a panel on accessing capital.
The Fair is part of Mayor de Blasio’s larger commitment to increase the pipeline of M/WBEs, impact policy and improve performance. The Administration is taking aggressive steps to strengthen M/WBEs and ensure the City’s procurement reflects the diversity of NYC businesses by:
Awarding $20 Billion to M/WBEs by end of FY 2025
Certifying 9,000 M/WBEs by end of FY 2019
Awarding 30% of the value of all City contracts by end of FY 2021
The City is continuing to certify available firms, to meet the Mayor’s goal of City-certifying 9,000 M/WBEs by end of FY 2019. Currently, the City boasts nearly 6,000 certified M/WBEs in its program, a roughly 60-percent increase since the beginning of the Administration.
“As chair of the Committee on Women, it is clear to me that supporting our M/WBE and small city contractors are critical to the economic empowerment of women and minorities. This administration has shown a real commitment to creating innovative and effective new tools for us to do exactly that. I want to congratulate NYC Small Business Services on hosting its 12th Annual Procurement Fair. Thank you to the Mayor, the Deputy Mayor, and Commissioner Bishop for their ongoing leadership and partnership on this issue and best wishes to everyone participating in the Fair,” said Council Member Helen Rosenthal (Manhattan, District 6).
Free services are available to help strengthen certified M/WBEs, including access to technical assistance, bonding, financing, teaming and mentorship. M/WBEs are also eligible to participate in the City’s Corporate Alliance Program, which trains and connects City-certified firms with private sector contracting opportunities, as well as Strategic Steps for Growth, a nine-month business management course for M/WBEs offered by the City in partnership with New York University.
Firms interested in starting the M/WBE certification process or participating in M/WBE programming can learn more by calling 311, visiting nyc.gov/getcertified or meeting with a client manager at one of the City’s seven NYC Business Solutions Centers located in all five boroughs.
About the Department of Small Business Services (SBS)
SBS helps unlock economic potential and create economic security for all New Yorkers by connecting New Yorkers to good jobs, creating stronger businesses, and building vibrant neighborhoods across the five boroughs. For more information, visit nyc.gov/sbs or call 311.
NEW YORK CITY(TIP): Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer announced July 2 that applications are open for her office’s Manhattan Community Award Program (MCAP).
The program provides small funding awards—typically between $3,500 and $5,000—to nonprofit organizations and public schools to help support programming or operational expenses. Each award is contracted through one of four City agencies – Department for the Aging (DFTA), Department of Corrections (DOC), Department of Education (DOE), or Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH). Proposals must relate to the specific agency’s overall mission and goals.
“Community awards enhance the work of local nonprofits and schools every year,” said Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer. “They make unique events and programs possible that support our students, enrich our seniors’ lives, and improve our neighborhoods.”
Applicants must complete an online application with questions related to their organization’s operations and how the awarded funds would be used. A review panel made up of the Borough President’s Office budget staff will assess applications.
More information on MCAP funding and how to apply can be found here.
General information on all opportunities for funding through Brewer’s office is available here.
The Borough President’s Office Grant Portal can be accessed here.
The deadline for MCAP submissions via the Grants Portal is August 10, 2018.
Representatives of public schools and local nonprofits are strongly encouraged to reach out directly with questions or requests for more information. The Borough President’s budget staff can be reached by email to budget@manhattanbp.nyc.gov.
WASHINGTON D.C.(TIP): Indian American Seema Nanda has been appointed as the new CEO of the Democratic National Committee. Announcing the appointment, DNC said in a press release that Nanda, who served on the transition team of DNC Chair Tom Perez, will manage the organization’s day-to-day operations.
“This position is the opportunity of a lifetime, for which I am incredibly honored and humbled,” Nanda said in a statement issued by the DNC. “People are hurting all across our country. And I believe that Democrats are offering the positive solutions so desperately-needed right now – solutions forged by the strength of our diversity, the rigor of our ideas, and the decency of our values. I am grateful to Chairman Perez and Mary Beth for selecting me, and I look forward to joining my new DNC colleagues in the fight for our nation’s values and future.”
The selection of Nanda is significant because it comes in a mid-term cycle that is seen by Democrats as a make-or-break election. Women have been playing a highly visible role in the party’s efforts to snatch at least one chamber of Congress, which will enable Democrats to block parts of the agenda of President Trump.
“I’m beyond excited that Seema is bringing her talent and brilliance to the DNC,” said Perez said in a statement. “I’ve seen firsthand Seema’s exceptional ability to lead. She is a seasoned manager who has a proven track record of success and a well-documented history of fighting for our Democratic values, whether it’s on immigration, civil rights or leveling the playing field for our workers.”
Besides serving on the transition team, which reviewed DNC’s operations after the disastrous 2016 presidential elections, Nanda also worked as Perez’s chief of staff to while he was the Secretary of the US Department of Labor. At the department, she also served as Deputy Solicitor.
Perez said he was “one hundred percent certain that Seema’s leadership will help the DNC capitalize on the unprecedented grassroots energy and enthusiasm surging throughout the country.”
Nanda, a graduate of Boston College Law School and Brown University, succeeds the current CEO Mary Beth Cahill, who will continue to serve through the transition.
Nanda’s appointment came after a five-month search.
“If there’s anything I’ve learned during my search for a permanent CEO, there’s no shortage of qualified and passionate leaders in our party. Seema undoubtedly fits the bill,” said Cahill. “With Seema joining our senior leadership team, I know that the DNC will be in good hands. Working alongside Chairman Perez and the team has been an honor and a privilege. Though I’m leaving my role in the building, I’ll never stop working to make sure Democrats everywhere continue to win from the school board to the Oval Office.”
LONDON(TIP): Indian-origin UK based industrialist Lord Swaraj Paul has come to the rescue of London Zoo once again and will provide a substantial financial donation for the world-famous zoo’s latest transformation project.
Earlier, Lord Paul had stepped in to save the London Zoo from bankruptcy back in 1993 with a 1-million-pound donation to fund a new children’s zoo section in memory of his late daughter Ambika’s love for the place.
He has since been a consistent supporter of the popular tourist spot in London, where later his son Angad got married to his wife Michelle in 2005.
The Zoo has long been planning to restore and enhance one of its great treasures – the landmark aviary designed by Lord Snowdon. The aviary is at risk and in urgent need of attention, Mr Paul said during his speech at an annual Paul family celebration held at the London Zoo on July 1.
The Caparo Group chief will be providing a substantial financial donation, the exact figure to be revealed at a later stage, for the zoo’s latest transformation project.
ZSL’s director-general, Dominic Jermey, welcomed Mr Paul’s “lifetime of engagement” with the London Zoo, where Lord Paul would bring his daughter Ambika as a refuge from her cancer treatment.
Mr Paul also revealed some detail of a new American luxury Angad Arts Hotel set to open in St Louis, Missouri, later this year, which would be the world’s first hotel where a room can be booked by the color of its decor to suit the mood of the clients.
WASHINGTON(TIP): Indian American White House top lawyer, Uttam Dhillon, has been appointed as the new Acting Administrator of the crucial Drug Enforcement Agency that combats the smuggling and use of narcotics in the US.
Mr. Dhillon replaces Robert Patterson, who has retired after 30 years of service.
Mr. Dhillon, who till recently worked in the White House as deputy counsel and deputy assistant to President Donald Trump, took up the role of Acting Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) on July 3.
“With one American dying of a drug overdose every nine minutes, there can be no doubt that we are facing the deadliest drug epidemic in our history,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said announcing his appointment.
The work of the Drug Enforcement Administration is critical to fighting this crisis, and President Donald Trump and he are committed to continuing to give it the strong leadership it deserves, Sessions said.
Mr. Dhillon is a dedicated public servant who has served with distinction in the White House, the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, Congress, and as a career federal prosecutor taking on drug traffickers at the highest levels.
Having a long career battling drug traffickers and violent crime in 2006, Mr. Dhillon was confirmed by the Senate as the first Director of the Office of Counternarcotics Enforcement at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
In that role, he served as the primary policy advisor on counternarcotics issues, focused on combating the connections between illegal drug trafficking and terrorism and developed regional counternarcotics strategies for DHS.
Prior to DHS, Mr. Dhillon served as an Associate Deputy Attorney General in the Department of Justice, where he chaired the Attorney General’s Anti-Gang Coordination Committee and led efforts to formulate and implement Department of Justice policies and programs to combat violent crime and criminal gangs.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Dhillon worked as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Central District of California for six and a half years.
During that period, he was appointed to the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force and worked with federal and local law enforcement agencies to direct complex investigations of violent gangs and major narcotics trafficking organizations.
More recently, he has served as Deputy Counsel and Deputy Assistant to the President.
Mr. Dhillon received his law degree from Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley, an MA from the University of California, San Diego, and a BA from California State University, Sacramento.
NEW YORK(TIP): An Indian-origin software engineering manager has been charged by the Securities and Exchange Commission that he traded on confidential information he received while creating a website for consumers impacted by a data breach.
Sudhakar Reddy Bonthu, 44, is a permanent resident of the US State of Georgia. Mr Bonthu was an Equifax employee from September 2003 until March 2018.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said Mr Bonthu committed securities fraud by engaging in illegal insider trading in the securities of information solutions and human resources company Equifax.
The Securities and Exchange Commission charged him with insider trading in advance of the company’s September 2017 announcement of a massive data breach that exposed Social Security numbers and other personal information of approximately 148 million US customers.
This is the second case the Securities and Exchange Commission has filed arising from the Equifax data breach.
In March, Securities and Exchange Commission had charged former chief information officer of a US business unit of Equifax Jun Ying with insider trading.
Beginning in September 2013, Mr Bonthu was a Production Development Manager of Software Engineering in Equifax’s Global Consumer Solutions business unit. On March 12, 2018, his employment was terminated by Equifax and is currently unemployed.
In a complaint filed in federal court in Atlanta on June 28, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged that Mr Bonthu traded on confidential information he received while creating a website for consumers impacted by a data breach.
According to the complaint, Mr Bonthu was told the work was being done for an unnamed potential client, but based on information he received, he concluded that Equifax itself was the victim of the breach.
The Securities and Exchange Commission alleges that Bonthu violated company policy when he traded on the non-public information by purchasing Equifax put options.
Less than a week later, after Equifax publicly announced the data breach and its stock declined nearly 14 per cent, Mr Bonthu sold the put options and netted more than $75,000, a return of more than 3,500 per cent on his initial investment.
Mr Bonthu was terminated from Equifax in March after refusing to cooperate with an internal investigation into whether he had violated the company’s insider trading policy.
“As we allege, (Sudhakar) Bonthu, who was entrusted with confidential information by his employer, misused that information to conclude that his company had suffered a massive data breach and then sought to illegally profit,” said Richard R Best, Director of the SEC’s Atlanta Regional Office.
“Corporate insiders simply cannot abuse their access to sensitive information and illegally enrich themselves,” Mr Best said.
In a parallel proceeding, the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia filed criminal charges against Mr Bonthu.
To settle the Securities and Exchange Commission’s civil charges, Bonthu has agreed to a permanent injunction and to return his allegedly ill-gotten gains plus interest. This settlement is subject to court approval.
LONDON (TIP): An Indian-origin paranoid, schizophrenic man, who was allowed into the UK following “an administrative error “, has been sentenced to five years in jail for murdering his brother-in-law.
Sukhwinder Singh, 41, became delusional and stabbed his brother-in-law to death before driving the dead body to West Bromwich police station in the West Midlands and handing himself in August 2017.
The man was jailed after pleading guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility at Wolverhampton Crown Court on June 29 and is set to receive psychiatric treatment before starting his sentence.
At the end of his prison term, Sukhwinder Singh will be deported to India.
“I have to say the circumstances of this offence lead me to conclude without hesitation that you are an extremely dangerous individual,” Judge Michael Challinor said at the sentencing hearing.
Sukhwinder Singh had killed his 39-year-old brother-in-law in August last year over suspicions that he was having an affair with his wife.
The UK court heard how Singh had killed a student union president in Jalandhar in 1998. He had been released from a Punjab jail after serving seven years for the murder. He was out on bail pending an appeal when he fled to the UK in 2007, on a six-month visa.
Following “an administrative error” by British authorities, Sukhwinder Singh was granted indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in the UK and successfully applied for British citizenship in 2011.
“You were illegally in this country, having fled India, where you should have been in prison serving a sentence for murder, and then you killed for a second time using a similar weapon, namely a knife,” the judge noted.
Prosecutors told the court that Sukhwinder Singh used heroin and crack cocaine which added to his paranoia.
Prosecutor Nigel Power told the court: “On the morning of Thursday, August 10, 2017, the defendant went into the front office of West Bromwich police station and said, ‘I have a dead body in the car’. He was telling the truth.
“The deceased was in the front passenger seat of his BMW car and had been killed by a single stab wound to the chest, which also cut the seat-belt almost in half.”
Sukhwinder Singh’s wife had voiced concerns over his mental health to the police and social services. On the day of the killing she was moving to a women’s refuge.
Detective Inspector Harry Harrison, from West Midlands Police’s homicide team, said: “This was an unusual case as Singh brought his victim to us; casually walking into the station to reveal Kumar was dead in his passenger seat. He had been driving around with Kumar dead next to him for hours before deciding to come to police. It was quickly established he had been responsible for the stabbing, and he will now serve time in prison to reflect that.”
HOUSTON (TIP): Houston based entrepreneur Amit Bhandari and his wife Arpita shaped their own American dream but along the way they also nurtured the aspirations of thousands of children, whether in the remote village of Rampura or the slums of Mumbai.
Ekal was one of the first charities the Bhandaris supported and they have consistently raised this support. They recently topped it by donating $50,000 dollars to outfit a bus with 10 laptops for the Ekal-on-Wheels Mobile Computer Labs program.
The Ekal movement which started in 1989 to transform India, one village at a time, today, has a school in 70,000 villages offering free schooling, vocational training, digital competence and agricultural education. It has impacted 4 million children and 10 million families to date.
The Mobile Computer Labs initiative is working to enhance digital literacy and has helped over 50,000 children become computer literate. The solar powered bus has pre-installed self-learning software developed by IIT, Mumbai and accommodates two students per computer. One dedicated trainer, assisted by the local Ekal teacher provides two and a half hours of training in one village.
The bus, which will serve the Khargone district of Madhya Pradesh near Indore, was inaugurated by Amit and Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. Amit was impressed by how “coachable and open to learning the children were.”
However, this isn’t the first time the Bhandaris have opened their checkbook. They support the Jain Society of Houston, donated six acres of land for the Gujarati Samaj center in Houston, wrote a quarter million dollar check to Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner’s Fund for Hurricane Harvey relief work, paid off the loans of a temple in Phoenix and raised $3 million for Magic Bus, an NGO that is deeply personal to them and aims to bring children out of poverty through a unique sports based curriculum.
Amit attributes this empathy to his modest upbringing. He is a native of Indore, Madhya Pradesh. His parents were professors but the family was always stretched financially. Despite this, his parents supported a handicapped school and were always ready to provide a helping hand.
Amit’s entrepreneurial leanings kicked in as early as middle school when he and a friend made paper bags and sold them to local vendors. At 17, he was accepted in the Rotary Student Exchange Program and attended High School in Hicksville, Ohio. America turned out to be “a tremendous experience” so much so that he got his aunt to sponsor his green card. He headed to Drexel University in Philadelphia for Chemical engineering and footed his tuition by waiting on tables. The job was a formative lesson in “time management, juggling priorities and dealing with people.”
The engineering degree landed him a job at ExxonMobil but Amit’s afterhours were spent scouting for a good business idea. He plunked his savings into a daycare, rental properties and a convenience store and in 2006, started his own company BioUrja (Urja in Hindi means energy.) The company trades in ethanol, petroleum products, crude oil, grains, metal tubing for the oil production sector and now renewable energy. It is ranked as one of the most successful companies in Texas.
There’s parental pride in his voice when he talks of his daughter and son who spent weeks as Magic Bus Youth Leaders in slums and villages engaging with the children. The experience moved Aanya, 16, to present a paper at the United Nations outlining ways of providing nutritious food and educating farmers on employing better agricultural methods. Ansh, 14, on his part, is looking forward to spending more of his summers supporting Magic Bus programs worldwide.
“But India-U.S. relations will be better off without hype and grand theories, often encouraged by the government. Otherwise, every rescheduling of a meeting will be interpreted as the collapse of ties. Similarly, avoiding the hyperbole could help manage India’s troubles with Pakistan and China better. The U.S. has overlapping interests with China, and India has overlapping interests with both. The trouble with big-chest, small-heart hyper-nationalism in foreign policy is that it also causes short sightedness. The audacity of hype has its limits.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump have both built their politics on the promise of making their countries great again. Placing India and the U.S., respectively, as leaders on the world stage is the stated objective of their foreign policy. The project of regaining national glory is based on another assumption that they inherited a mess from their respective predecessors. Yet another shared trait is their love for spectacle over meticulous, prolonged and often frustrating pursuit of strategic goals.
Theatre as strategy
The postponement of the India-U.S. 2+2 dialogue between the Foreign and Defense Ministers of both countries, that had been scheduled for this week, has to be understood in the context of the similar personality traits of Mr. Trump and Mr. Modi. Hugging Mr. Trump may be a good spectacle for Mr. Modi, but the same may not be true for the former. Mr. Trump has set his eyes on spectacles that suit him. Mr. Trump, still basking in the denuclearization deal that he’s said to have struck with North Korea’s Kim Jong-un, is now looking forward to the next big event: a summit meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. His every move on the global stage enrages his domestic political opponents and the professional strategic community alike and he is happy, as this keeps his political base constantly on the boil.
North Korea, Syria, Afghanistan, trade deficit, and all global challenges before America are the faults of his predecessors, he repeatedly tells supporters. Most recently, at the G7 summit in Canada in June, he declared: “I blame our past leaders for allowing this to happen (trade deficits) …You can go back 50 years, frankly.” Such rhetoric may sound familiar to Indians. In Mr. Trump’s war on the legacy of all Presidents before him, India is on the wrong side. The remarkable growth in India-U.S. relations since the turn of the century had been nurtured by three U.S. Presidents, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, two Democrats and one Republican who have all been the target of Mr. Trump’s ire. India neither promises him the opportunity of a spectacle nor offers the grounds for destructing the legacy of a predecessor. So, he told Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to deal with North Korea and Russia, and 2+2 with India could wait. “Nobody wakes up in DC daily thinking of India,” says a former U.S. ambassador to India, pointing out that 16 months into the new administration, there is no Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia in the State Department.
Impact on ties
To buttress one’s own claim to be a trailblazer by denying the achievements of predecessors may be good political tactics for these leaders but trying to wish away history itself is not a sustainable strategy. Against the backdrop of a programmatic negation of history in both countries, Mr. Trump’s bursts of unhinged rhetoric against China and Pakistan lend themselves to easy and convenient interpretations by supporters of improved U.S.-India ties as moments of enlightenment for the U.S., even as turning points.
But Mr. Trump cannot undo all the legacy with a magic tweet. U.S. relations with Pakistan and China took shape during the Cold War. Pakistan might be the longest ally of the U.S. after the U.K., first in the fight against communism, and then in the fight against terror that was created in the first fight. China used the Cold War to its own advantage in its ties with the U.S.
China today threatens the dominance of the U.S., but the America’s security establishment and political elite are obsessed with Russia. India gets caught in that internal American fight too, such as in the case of an American law that now requires the President to impose sanctions on any country that has significant security relations with Russia.
Mr. Trump sees the challenges posed by China, but not in a manner helpful for India. For, India and China are in the same basket for Mr. Trump on many issues that agitate him. He has repeatedly mentioned India and China in the same breath as countries that duped his predecessors on climate and trade deals. His administration considers India and China as violators of intellectual property laws, as countries that put barriers to trade and subsidize exports and use state power to control markets. The nationalists in the Trump administration, including U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and White House National Trade Council Director Peter Navarro are all gunning for China, and India is in the same firing line. Many Americans who think that China took the U.S. for a ride — many Democrats among them — suspect that India is trying to do the same thing.
But there are two constituencies in the U.S. that promote India against China: the Pentagon and the U.S. arms industry. This works to India’s favor. While the Obama administration could not overcome State Department objections to offer India even unarmed drones, the Trump administration has done so, offering armed drones. Here, Mr. Trump is not guided by any grand theories of ‘rule-based order’, etc. that professional strategists talk about, but by the opportunity to sell.
Given Mr. Trump’s views on trade, American companies that used to argue China’s case are now guarded in their approach. Still, companies such as General Motors and Ford have come out against a trade war with China. This has implications for India too. American companies that eye the Indian market are allies in the pushback against Mr. Trump’s nationalist trade policies. Mr. Modi has realized this dynamic that puts India and China in the same corner in Mr. Trump’s perspective — and that significantly explains his Wuhan summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the third big leader who is gaming for the glory of his country.
War against legacy
The enlightenment that Mr. Trump purportedly brought on America’s Af-Pak policy also appears to have been short-lived. If one looks at the tough messages from Nikki Haley, U.S. Ambassador to the UN, in New Delhi recently on Pakistan and Iran, it is clear where the political priorities of the Trump administration lies. Here again, Mr. Trump is determined to gut his predecessor’s legacy, a key component of which was rapprochement with Iran. The war in Afghanistan is the worst optics for Mr. Trump’s showman politics, and his administration’s approach has been to sweep it under the carpet. The Pentagon has restricted release of data on the war, but a report last month paints a picture of a deteriorating situation. The U.S.’s ability to arm-twist Pakistan has been limited anyway, and Mr. Trump’s determination to turn the screws on Iran makes it tougher. National Security Adviser John Bolton, who had advocated bombing Iran, believes that a hardline policy against Pakistan is not desirable.
All told, Mr. Trump might accept Mr. Modi’s invitation to be the chief guest at the 2019 Republic Day parade just ahead of the Lok Sabha campaign, triggering another round of commentary on their ‘body language’ and ‘chemistry’. A series of significant defense purchases and agreements could be concluded in coming months. But India-U.S. relations will be better off without hype and grand theories, often encouraged by the government. Otherwise, every rescheduling of a meeting will be interpreted as the collapse of ties. Similarly, avoiding the hyperbole could help manage India’s troubles with Pakistan and China better. The U.S. has overlapping interests with China, and India has overlapping interests with both. The trouble with big-chest, small-heart hyper-nationalism in foreign policy is that it also causes short sightedness. The audacity of hype has its limits.
(The author is an assistant editor with The Hindu. He can be reached at varghese.g@thehindu.co.in)
Filled with remorse, an anguished Afghan hopes Sikhs, Hindus won’t flee what’s their home too
By Saad Mohseni
“I am not certain if the community can tolerate more pain, but we don’t want them to forget that they represent a legacy that stretches back a thousand years in Afghan history.”
It was a black day. On July 1, a suicide bomber tore into a crowd of Hindus and Sikhs who had collected to meet President Ashraf Ghani in Jalalabad, resulting in the massacre of 19 persons; 10 were badly injured. The pain has been felt and shared by every Afghan I have come in contact with since the attack. The brutal attack claimed the lives of two of the Sikh community’s favorite sons, Avtar Singh Khalsa, the only Sikh candidate running for Parliament in October; and Rawail Singh, a vibrant member of our trying-to-be-more-civil society. We all feel incredible shame that it has come to such a pass.
I vividly recall Harandar Singh and Amarjeet Singh, my Sikh classmates in primary school at the French Lycee Isteqlal in Kabul, Afghanistan, in the late 1970s. As first cousins, they were inseparable: gossiping, laughing, switching between Farsi and Punjabi without missing a beat. One was quite tall and slim, while the other was darker, shorter and slightly chubby — although I can’t recall which one was which. What I do recall is that their parents, like many Sikhs in Kabul, were involved in the textile business. Anil Kumar, our lone Hindu classmate, came from a well-known family that operated one of Kabul’s better-known movie theatres.
I would often walk with Harandar and Amarjeet the mile-long distance from our bus stop to school, going past the homes of the few remaining Jewish families adjacent to Flower Street. In the late 1970s, Kabul was a city that peacefully housed Indian communities. The same was true of Ghazni, Kandahar, Jalalabad and all other urban centers of Afghanistan.
I viewed these boys as lucky to evade religious studies at school, they didn’t have to be subjected to the less-than-competent religious studies teacher, a character who once pulled his belt out to whip a student, only to see his pants fall to his knees. But other than their ‘exotic’ turbans and absence from the compulsory Islamic studies class, Harandar, Amarjeet and Anil were no different to my other friends in Kabul in those years of innocence.
The 5 lakh-strong community of Sikhs and Hindus was a robust contributor to the private sector: trade, banking, textiles, food and retail. Throughout the city, they left a distinctive mark: an enduring signifier that Afghanistan was once a true crossroads between the Middle East and South Asia. How can I ever forget the exquisite jalebis sold in the Karte Parwan district of Kabul by a Hindu merchant? Or the lively Punjabi music and the bountiful spice shops that were a routine stopover for every Kabul cook. But what was special about them was their ownership of Afghanistan. They seemed to embrace the hybrid identity and took genuine pride in the link to this remote country. They belonged there.
Afghan historians believe that the first wave of ‘modern’ Hindus arrived during Mahmood Ghaznavi’s reign over a thousand ago. Of course, it should also be noted that huge swathes of modern Afghanistan were ‘Hindu’ prior to the arrival of Islam in the 7th and 8th centuries, alongside Zoroastrianism, Buddhism and paganism.
The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the civil war that ensued brought misery to millions of Afghans — Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Jews. Many members of the community were forced to flee the country, but some of them stayed, resolutely. Those who were forced to take refuge outside of Afghanistan took pains to identify themselves as Afghans. This endeared them even more to their fellow Afghans.
The post-Soviet civil war that devastated Kabul and resulted in the lawlessness that destroyed the social, moral and economic fabric of the nation compelled more Hindus and Sikhs to flee their homes. But again, some of them stayed back.
The arrival of the Taliban only brought more wretchedness. Hindus and Sikhs were initially forced to wear yellow dresses and turbans and raise a yellow flag on their rooftops. Many, feeling vulnerable, decided that it was finally time to leave. But despite this intolerant and violent environment, some of them still stayed put.
The defeat of the Taliban regime and the emergence of an independent government in Kabul, committed to the rule of law, gave hope; encouraging many Afghans to believe that this was a new beginning for the country. In 2003, a brave Sikh gentleman stood before a Loya Jirga (grand assembly) of mostly Islamic commanders, politicians and clerics and screamed: ‘It is you Muslims that have ruined my Afghanistan.’ He received a standing ovation because we all knew that he was right.
The rule of law of the post Karzai era was more myth than reality. Many of their properties, namely in the Karte Parwan district of Kabul, were squatted on and confiscated by warlords or Afghans with strong connections. Given that the community had survived for a millennium through peaceful means, there was no warlord to protect them. Many of them decided to leave the country. But again, some chose to stay.
There were moments of optimism. To Hamid Karzai’s credit, he appointed Shamlal Bhatija Bhatia, an Afghan Hindu, as Ambassador to Canada — a first in the country’s history, despite the fact that Mr Bhatia’s family had resided in the city of Kandahar for over 350 years. Mr Bhatia regularly pointed out that Ahmad Shah Durrani, the Kandahari founder of modern-day Afghanistan, had based the concept of Afghanistan on inclusion.
Forty years after I last shared a class with Harandar, Amarjeet and Anil, their community has dwindled from 5 lakhs to only 1,300 — scattered across three Afghan cities. Their numbers, which coexisted with Afghans of all faiths for centuries, has now shrunk to almost nothing.
I am not certain if the community can tolerate more pain, but we don’t want them to forget that they represent a legacy that stretches back a thousand years in Afghan history.
And more than ever, Afghanistan needs them to stay.
(The author is Chairman of Moby Group, the largest media company in Afghanistan)
NEW DELHI (TIP): Congress leader and lawmaker Shashi Tharoor was today granted anticipatory bail by a Delhi court in a case relating to his wife Sunanda Pushkar’s death almost four years ago in a luxury hotel here.
The Thiruvananthapuram MP, who has been summoned as an accused on July 7 in the case, had moved the court for anticipatory bail apprehending arrest. Pushkar was found dead in a suite of a luxury hotel in the city on the night of January 17, 2014. The couple was staying in the hotel as Tharoor’s official bungalow was being renovated then.
Observing that the prosecution’s apprehensions that Tharoor may flee offshore or influence witnesses were “without any basis”, Special Judge Arvind Kumar granted relief and asked him to furnish a personal bond and a surety of Rs 1 lakh each while imposing certain conditions.
In his plea for anticipatory bail, Tharoor had submitted that the chargesheet in the case was filed and the SIT had categorically stated that the probe was concluded and his custodial interrogation was not required.
The court had summoned him as an accused in the case on June 5, asking him to appear before it on July 7, observing there was sufficient ground to proceed against him.
Can’t leave country
A Delhi court asked Shashi Tharoor to furnish a personal bond and a surety of Rs 1 lakh each while imposing certain conditions, including that he would not tamper with the evidence or leave the country without the court’s prior approval.
Giving a societal push to the Punjab Government’s war on the hydra-headed drug menace, are the villagers — the common people suffering the effects of the consumption blowback. There is hardly any home in the countryside that does not have a family shattered by an addict whose only interest is how to get his next fix, even going to desperate and often deadly extremes. His treatment leaves them penniless, and the children crying and uncared for, and at times, even orphaned. Shattered by the ruin and misery unleashed by drugs over the years, some villages have taken upon themselves the task of eradicating this deadly menace through vigilantism. They are nabbing alleged drug peddlers and handing them over to the police. A political leader has also spearheaded one such campaign.
However well-meaning this practice may be, it is not without pitfalls. While being vigilant against a potential supplier of drugs, the people need to guard against going over the top. In mob fury lies the inherent danger of individuals tipping over to the side of vigilantism in the heat of the moment and taking law into their hands. The examples of recent lynchings in Maharashtra over rumors of child-lifting as well as some innocent people becoming victims of cow vigilantes are fresh. Rather than even one innocent person being victimized, law enforcement is best left to the government. After all, only the law enforcement agencies are equipped to tackle the drug mafia. Bringing the small fry in the net will not end the menace.
The Amarinder Singh government has in the past couple of days unveiled a heady mix of strategies that promise to take on the problem of intoxication. Regular dope tests for all 3.25 lakh Punjab Government employees have been made mandatory as cases of drug-tainted officers, especially in the police, are coming to the fore with shocking regularity. Death penalty has been sought for the peddlers of illicit substances as an alarming number of people are becoming addicted to drugs as well as dying from them. Treatment and rehabilitation of addicts with a renewed goal figure high on its mission. Instead of the death penalty, a strict implementation of the existing NDPS laws is sufficient to take the problem head on.
The Supreme Court on Thursday sought response from Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, accused in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases, on a plea filed by SIT challenging the anticipatory bail granted to him by Delhi HC. The apex court said it is high time that these cases are tried at the earliest
NEW DELHI (TIP): The Supreme Court on July 5 sought response from Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, accused in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases, on a plea filed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) challenging the anticipatory bail granted to him by Delhi high court.
A bench of Justice AK Sikri and Ashok Bhushan said it is high time that these cases are tried at the earliest.
The bench said it was an over 30- year-old case and it took around “200 pages” for the high court to grant anticipatory bail when it could have been done in just “40-50 pages”.
Additional solicitor general Maninder Singh, appearing for the SIT, said the investigation started against Kumar only in 2016 and now he has come armed with a battery of lawyers and dictates his statement to the investigating officer of the case.
The ASG said that while granting anticipatory bail to him, the high court had said that everything will be tested in trial of the case but at the end it granted him the relief saying there was no evidence.
To this, the bench said whether all this was considered at the time of anticipatory bail. Singh said, “Yes. This is totally contrary to the established procedure of law.” The bench then issued notice.
The Delhi HC had on February 22 upheld a trial court order granting anticipatory bail to Kumar in two anti- Sikh riots cases of 1984, saying that according to records, he was available throughout the investigation.
The Congress leader was granted anticipatory bail by the trial court on December 21, 2016, in two cases of killing of three Sikhs during the riots which had occurred after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi.
Kumar had submitted that his name was never taken earlier and it was a case of fresh allegations coming up after 32 years.
Source: PTI
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